Co-op Academy Grange

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils enjoy school and want to do well. Staff have positive relationships with pupils and take the time to get to know them. Pupils know that they can seek help when they need it.

As a result, most pupils say that they feel safe and supported.

Pupils generally behave well during lessons. However, there is a small group of pupils who disrupt social times and are inconsiderate of others.

Leaders are aware of these pupils and the impact they are having. Older pupils appreciate how their experience of school has improved recently. However, some pupils are not doing as well as they should be due to the gaps in their curriculum knowledge.

The persona...l development provision for pupils includes a wide variety of clubs and trips. Many pupils make use of the lunchtime and after-school activities, such as different sports, technology clubs and the library. There is an active 'student leadership' group, with representation from each form group.

Pupils feel increasingly listened to, supported and valued.

Pupils are taught about different faiths, religions and cultures. The school helps pupils to stay safe online.

There is bespoke pastoral support that helps pupils to take more responsibility for their actions and respect others.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has strengthened its curriculum in recent years. It is suitably ambitious and well understood by teachers.

The curriculum builds well, with the order in which pupils learn topics having been carefully considered. There is also a very carefully constructed personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum and careers programme. There is thorough consideration of safeguarding information, the local area context and the need to prepare pupils for life beyond school.

Yet, there is too much variation in how the curriculum is being delivered. Pupils can have different experiences in the same subject and between subjects, including PSHE. This is reflected in the variability of what pupils can recall of their learning, meaning they are not developing their understanding as well as they could be.

All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), experience the same curriculum. However, there are notable differences in the quality of support given to pupils with SEND. The school is working to develop the SEND provision further, including through staff training.

The school values reading highly. Staff understand that pupils need to be able to read to successfully access the rest of the curriculum. There is effective support for those who are in the earlier stages of learning to read.

Pupils are helped well to catch up with their peers.

Overall, pupils' behaviour has improved during the last year. Pupils are clear that the poor behaviour of others can unsettle their experience in school.

Staff echo this opinion. The school has taken robust actions that mean that lessons are calmer. Pupils grow in their understanding of the expectations that the school has for them, but this work is taking time.

Actions taken by the school have resulted in the number of pupils' suspensions being much lower than in previous years, although it is still too high. A small number of pupils, including some disadvantaged pupils, miss too much time in their lessons. This contributes to their progress through the curriculum being slower than it could be.

The school has addressed the significant challenges with pupils' attendance and punctuality through effective actions to support and engage families.

Over time, the high suspension and absence rates have meant that a lot of pupils have underachieved. This has affected some pupils' knowledge over time and their outcomes in examinations.

This is improving. Where pupils are attending regularly, they are benefiting from a well-planned curriculum and are ready for their next steps. The careers provision, in terms of advice and guidance, is helping pupils to make positive choices in their future pathways in education or training.

Trustees have ensured that changes have happened when needed. Senior leaders and trust leaders know what needs to be done to improve the school. They are starting to bring about the necessary changes.

Improvements are evident in classroom behaviour, attendance and curriculum development. Leaders at all levels are dedicated to supporting pupils of all backgrounds to do well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The well-planned curriculum is not delivered sufficiently well across or in subjects, including in PSHE. This means that some pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not able to build effectively on what they already know. The school should ensure that it supports staff to secure pupils' understanding of the curriculum effectively.

• Attendance and punctuality are not as strong as they need to be. As a result of absence and lateness, pupils miss valuable time in lessons and miss out on learning. The school should support pupils to access more of the ambitious curriculum being delivered, as well as ensure that pupils go promptly to their lessons so that no learning time is lost.

• The number of suspensions of pupils for poor behaviour is high but decreasing. This results in pupils missing valuable learning time. The school should ensure that more is done to support pupils receiving suspensions and enable them to access the curriculum fully.

Some pupils with SEND are not receiving effective support to enable them to progress through the curriculum. As a result, some pupils with SEND, particularly those who do not have an education, health and care plan, are not able to engage fully with the ambitious curriculum. The school needs to ensure that learning is appropriately adapted in all subjects and that it monitors the progress of all pupils with SEND through the curriculum.

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